Punjab, a province renowned for its five mighty rivers and fertile lands, has been home to countless brave hearts. Today, its lush fields and mature crops are being swept away, leaving behind a trail of devastation. The once-thriving landscape now resembles a vast sea, as if Punjab itself is drowning in the deluge.
Ouestion is plagued by a peculiar predicament, where we tend to adopt a reactive ‘patchwork’ approach. We rarely prepare in advance or devise a well-thought-out strategy. Instead, we resort to frantic measures only when the situation becomes critical, with the proverbial waters rising above our heads.
Climate change is intensifying globally, and Pakistan is particularly susceptible, ranking high among nations most affected by its impacts. The country endured its most extreme summer heatwave this year, and the subsequent monsoon season has broken all previous records, underscoring the severity of the situation.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reports that Punjab has received 73% more monsoon rainfall in 2025 than in the previous year, leading to flash flooding and catastrophic damage. This deluge is the most severe the province has seen in 39 years. According to current figures, more than 1,800 villages are submerged, and around 1.5 million people have been displaced. The impact on agriculture and livestock is still being evaluated, with standing crops having been largely destroyed.
The farmers' hard-earned savings and livelihoods have been devastated by the floods, and the situation is rapidly deteriorating. The Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers have overflowed, affecting the entire province of Punjab from Lahore to Multan. To protect urban areas, river bridges and embankments are being breached. The railway embankment near Jhang city has been breached to save the city from the Chenab River's fury. Controlled blasting has been used to demolish the Qadirabad Headworks bridge and Rivaz bridge on the Chenab River to alleviate water pressure. All waterways and rivers are overflowing, causing widespread destruction. The 1939-built Trimmu barrage has a capacity to handle 0.8 million cusecs of water, but the expected flood surge is over 0.9 million cusecs.
The flood crisis that initially hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has now spread to Punjab, causing widespread destruction. Furthermore, Sindh is bracing for an impending threat, with recent reports indicating that more than 50,000 families are at risk of being affected by the floods.
A critical question emerges: why does Pakistan experience droughts when water is essential for agriculture, only to be followed by devastating floods when the rains arrive? Annually, the excess water flows into the sea, causing widespread destruction, despite the potential for harnessing it for agricultural and energy purposes through effective water management strategies.
While natural disasters are a reality, it is crucial to examine our own role in mitigating their impact. Blaming India for intentionally releasing water would be an unjustified rationale, given that rivers have inherent flow patterns and natural pathways that cannot be ignored. Excess water flows through these channels, ultimately draining into the sea. A major factor contributing to flood devastation in Punjab is the encroachment upon waterways—a practice implicating not only ordinary citizens but also influential figures. This issue originates from the destruction of riparian forests, followed by the illegal occupation and commercialization of riverine land.
The rivers dried up for a few years, many people assumed it would be reduce to mere pondsor small water bodies. Consequently, the land was aggressively marketed and sold as residential societies with appealing names. This has resulted in the construction of permanent residential areas on floodplains, effectively creating concrete obstructions. The colonies built on the Ravi River's land in Lahore exemplify this issue. Regrettably, many of these societies are owned by politicians and government officials. Given the involvement of influential figures, it's unsurprising that successive governments have turned a blind eye to this practice, despite being fully aware of its implications.
These individuals have forgotten the principal that a river does not forget its course. It inevitably reclaims its path. And that's exactly what happened. The rivers have reclaimed their rightful course, and now the owners of these residential societies have vanished. Alternatively, efforts are being made to divert the watercourse to save these societies, which is resulting in the devastation of surrounding villages.
The tragedy of flawed policies is that while Pakistan faces devastating floods every year, it is also threatened by severe water scarcity. In fact, Pakistan is likely to be classified as a water-scarce state by 2030.The scarcity of dams in Pakistan results in the country being able to store merely 10% of its rainfall, leading to a significant water storage shortfall. According to experts, Pakistan's water storage capacity is currently limited to approximately 30 days, whereas the internationally recommended standard is at least 120 days.
Pakistan's water storage capacity stands only15% of its annual river flow, comparaed to a global average of 40%. Experts assert that Pakistan requires 10 dams on an urgent basis. The presence of these dams would enable the country to harness river water for agricultural and hydroelectric purposes, while also providing protection against flood-related disasters.
Currently, 5 dams are under development. New dam construction requires prompt action, with all provinces on board to ensure equitable water distribution. Additionally, encroachments on riverbeds should be demolished, and individuals involved in these illegal activities should face legal consequences.
The current situation demands pragmatic action rather than politicking and opportunism. Failure to take decisive measures to conserve water and mitigate flood risks will perpetuate the cycle of drought and flooding, with the poor being disproportionately affected.
May Allah, the Almighty, protect every individual of my country.
Ameen
[email protected] |